The Music Editor Capabilities
The Capabilities of the Music Editor 1st Generation (Super Nintendo Entertainment System Era) The editor includes fifteen different 'instruments' to choose from and fiddle with. Other small additions such as three preset songs ready to play and a small Mario running and jumping alongside to the song provided a lively atmosphere. The access to an undo button was handy along with an eraser tool, a switch from 4/4 to 3/4 was implemented and provided a bold double bar-line to give a conclusion. Tempo is also a warm feature and can vary in experience based on what is trying to be achieved. For a hybrid artistic studio of an SNES title, the amount of creativity that the player can experiment with is very mind-engaging. Features: * Fifteen different 'instruments' to choose * An undo/redo button * An eraser tool * The ability to organize compositions in 4/4 or 3/4 time * Includes a Double Bar-Line to conclude a composition. * Tempo is variable * A Mario that interacts with the music by running & jumping * Three preset songs: # Super Mario World (Overworld) # Mario Paint (Japanese Commercial) # Twinkle Twinkle Little Star However with limitations to how much an SNES cartridge can handle, that would also place some boundaries to the amount of creativity you are able to experiment with. The only clef that the player is able to explore is the treble, however an instrument like the bass (Heart) is preset at a lower octave no matter where you place it. Furthermore a limit of three notes restricts complex structuring and only one note can be allowed any one spot. The hugest and probably the colossal boundary is the fact that sharps and flats are non-existent in the music editor, and the max amount of space that is available lies at the 24th measure. Limitations: * A limit of 3 notes per bar * The only available clef is the treble * No two notes can be simultaneously at the same bar on the same interval * Sharps and flats are not available to use * Limited up to the 24th measure Despite all these heavy restrictions upon the player, many have found loads of enjoyment with the many features that overthrew the cons. It was an ambitious idea and left many blueprints for the future to expand on. See in-depth information on the 1st generation Music Editor. 2nd Generation (Mario Paint Composer v2.0 Era) Most of the features from the original are still present, but took major changes. The major expansions that improved the quality included the addition of four new 'instruments' and a wider range of the staff. Tempo possibilities have reached levels where most players would not use, the highest being 9500. The 24 measure limit now raised to a 96 measure limit and 5 notes are available to use per bar. Along with being able to save files now, the most important feature that made this version the go-to place for creating music was the arranger. This crucial feature made it possible to combine any of your created save files to make a continuous song play seamlessly. This convenience got rid of the hassle from loading single individual files and created more opportunities for more elaborate compositions to be made. Features: * Nineteen different 'instruments' to choose from * An eraser tool * The ability to organize compositions in 4/4 or 3/4 time * Tempo variation from 96 to 9500 * Wider staff range * Expanded 96 measure limit * Limit increase to 5 notes per bar * Ability to save & arrange files * Two preset songs: # Super Mario World (Overworld) # Billy Joel (My Life *Excerpt*) Just like everything else, this version also has it's faults. In terms of visuals, this version took the most drawbacks. The most notable change is that screen no longer follows the Mario when a song plays because he is removed completely. It now follows the left-to-right motion and resets the screen to the next piles of notes and repeats the method. Other features were taken out such as the the undo/redo button, and the Double Bar-Line to finish a section properly. Limitations: * A static-like performance that will change screen based if everything in the screen is performed * The removal of Mario completely * Undo/redo feature is removed * No double bar-line is included in the final product All in all, the second version of the SNES Music Editor has shaped into the internet phenomenon that once flourished the creative side of the internet.